There are limitations to what foods you can eat on the Paleo diet, but what diet doesn't have restrictions? What makes the Paleo diet different is that there is a reason for the dietary restrictions imposed. The diet is based on the foods that were consumed by the cavemen of the Paleolithic era in human history.

The logic is that cavemen were extremely healthy and suffered much less disease and illness than we have today. Following their diet should therefore lead to healthier bodies and lower risks of disease and illness for us today.

If you are ever in doubt about what can be eaten on this diet, just think about what the cavemen were eating many years ago. For example, you probably would have never seen a caveman sitting down to eat a submarine sandwich with deli meat, but they did consume a lot of lean meat taken from wild animals.

Processed foods that come prepackaged or which have been laced with preservatives are naturally going to be eliminated on this plan. The same thing goes for very fatty meats such as sausage and canned meats like Spam.

Cavemen & Grains

One thing that is missing from the list of foods consumed on this diet is grain. The Stone Age ended before agriculture came into practice, so cavemen of this era simply did not have access to the wide assortment of grains that we eat today. This means no corn, barley, millet, oat, rice, rye, wheat or wild rice. Even if it says "gluten free," it is not a food that would have been consumed by the Paleo cavemen.

This also means foods made with wheat and flour should not be consumed. This eliminates all varieties of bread, chips, cookies, corn syrup, muffins, and even pasta.

What's on the Menu?

Don't feel overwhelmed by the number of foods off limits on this plan. There are many foods that can be added to your menu, so you are not going to starve to death. The key to sticking with the diet long term is to explore all foods allowed on the plan and combine them in creative ways to make new recipes.

For instance, you can eat a limited quantity of eggs on the Paleo diet and most vegetables are allowed. You can therefore make a delicious omelet loaded with chopped fresh vegetables and seasoned with fresh herbs. Lean meats, poultry and seafood are also allowed, so you can create hundreds of different meals with different protein sources and fresh vegetables.

For snacks, you can choose from all the fruits that suit your taste buds as well as unsalted nuts and seeds.

When you start eating these types of foods you will notice your digestive system slowing down considerably. This means you will feel fuller between meals and will have less desire to stuff yourself with food. You can simply eat when your body says you need food. If you aren't hungry and it is meal time, you don't have to eat. It is all about listening to your body and feeding it high quality foods that are easily digested.